The best way to prevent roof leaks during heavy rain storm is to do a visual inspection of your roof before monsoon season starts.
After the storms pass, do another inspection to check for damages that could cause your roof to leak.
Safety tip: Be aware that dew and even frost on cold Arizona mornings can make a foam roof quite slippery. If you have any doubt that you can walk on your roof safely, please hire a professional to do the inspection.
To inspect your foam, built-up or rolled asphalt roof:
- Check all roof penetrations, including the chimney, vents, skylights, walls, flashing, air conditioner elbows and stands, antennas and support wires, and satellite dishes. Repair exposed areas.
- Remove dirt, leaves and pine needles around drains, scuppers and crickets. Built-upndebri can cause water to pool on the roof by preventing it from draining off.
- Trim tree branches so they don’t hang over the roof.
- Inspect all transitions or tie-in points where your flat roof joins a tiled or shingled roof for holes that could let water into the house.
- Reattach roofing material or drip-cap flashing along the outside edges of the roof.
- Seal cracks along the seams of rolled roofing.
- Fill holes pecked by birds in foam roofing.
- If you have a territorial-style home with stucco parapets, look for cracked stucco or a poor flashing job on the top and backside of all the parapets.
Regular inspections and preventive maintenance with the correct products will extend the life of your roof.
If your roof is new, check with your roofer before doing any repairs yourself. You don’t want to void his warranty by doing unauthorized repairs.
###
